Team RidersDiscount.com was on the podium in every single event they entered at Grattan Raceway Park for WERA’s first-ever Double-Header weekend. The recently repaved track was well received by all and the pace was fast with lots of action on the track. With the notably hot summer weather, tire choice critical as grip on the track surface constantly changed every day with temperatures varying from practice to the green flag. Still, Team RidersDiscount.com riders Sam Gaige, Virginie “Frenchie” Massing and Brian Gibson came away with a combined total of four wins, five second-place finishes and two third place spots on the podium. Although Gaige has been a regular with WERA for over a decade, this was his first visit to the Western Michigan track. Brian was quick straight away and it didn’t take Sam long to put his pace up at the top of the lap charts. Frenchie, another Grattan regular, found a way to take another second off her best time on her way to a win!
Sam Gaige – “It was great to finally meet the entire RidersDiscount.com crew and learn a completely new track. Brian worked with me in Friday practice to get me up to speed and his knowledge helped. The guys were telling me that it’s the only place where the locals usually keep the national-level regulars honest and I can see why! That knowledge had them [the locals] dealing with lappers better than me, which cost me a few seconds here and there. Plus there were fast guys everywhere! My Markbilt-prepared, Dunlop-shod Yamaha YZF-R6 ran like a champ all weekend and even though I didn’t get a win, it was the most fun I’ve had on the track in a long time!
It was easy to see that the Team RidersDiscount.com crew really know bikes and it made my weekend at this new place a lot easier. The level of hospitality was totally unexpected – I really want to go back. Plus the track layout is fantastic, there’s just nothing like it and I just want to come back here next year and get a few wins!”
Virginie Massing – “My weekend was great with a 1st place in the women’s expert class and a 3rd in Senior Superbike plus I took a second off my best time. Team RidersDiscount.com were a huge help with my Yamaha YZF-R6 and I had a great time with the whole crew. There’s something about being part of a team like RidersDiscount.com that motivates you to not only do good but also have fun while doing it. It was a really great weekend for me and the team!”
Brian Gibson (owner, RidersDiscount.com) – “It was a fun weekend for the whole team and although we didn’t have the superbike motor in the RidersDiscount.com Triumph Daytona 675, we still managed to put it on the top of the box in every race Saturday. It wasn’t all easy because, with the new pavement, we had to make some changes to the bike’s setup. Sunday’s race was shaping up to be a good one until the front end let go and I had a little crash in the bowl right after I set the fastest lap of the weekend up to that point. I gotta wonder what that last lap would have been hadn’t I fallen off. Other than that, it was really great to see Sam pick up the pace at Grattan where the locals usually rule the roost and Frenchie took over a second off her best time too. It was awesome to have three Team RidersDiscount.com bikes on the grid at our home track and I’m very satisfied with the results!”
Team RidersDiscount.com results:
Sam Gaige, Expert #20, Yamaha YZF-R6 on Dunlop tires
Saturday:
2nd C Superstock
2nd C Superbike
3rd B Superstock
Sunday:
2nd C Superstock
2nd C Superbike
2nd B Superstock
Virginie “Frenchie” Massing, Expert #177, Yamaha YZF-R6 on Pirelli tires
Saturday:
1st Women’s Superbike
3rd Senior Superbike
Brian Gibson, Expert #31, Triumph Daytona 675 on Dunlop tires
Saturday:
1st Heavyweight Twins Superbike
1st B Superbike
1st Senior Superbike
Sunday:
DNF, crash C Superbike
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